I’m pre-approved for the Venture X but can’t find a good reason to get it right now. I was looking at a no annual fee travel card from BCU. I’d like to hear from people who have the card to understand what’s attractive about it.
My FICO score is between 720 and 740, and I make $13,000 working part-time.
I don’t think travel cards are worth it at a low income unless you can reach the sign-up bonuses. How often do you travel?
Drue said:
I don’t think travel cards are worth it at a low income unless you can reach the sign-up bonuses. How often do you travel?
Five plus years ago, I used to go on family trips every other year. I’ve been busy with school, the pandemic, working, and life, so it’s been five years since I took a vacation. I hope to get a better job with a higher income soon. Right now, I want to get a Baxter CU travel rewards card to get my foot in the door for travel and maybe move up to an annual fee card later. The BCU sub fits better for me right now.
@madisonwilson
Even traveling every other year, it would be hard to justify the annual fee since I don’t think the travel credit stacks up, and you would be stuck with points for a long time. I’m not familiar with the BCU card, but I would recommend something like the Wells Fargo Autograph. You might also consider Chase Sapphire Preferred or Citi Strata, but they have a $95 annual fee. Just so you know, three of the cards I mentioned allow points to be redeemed for cash at 1 cent per point, which Venture X or the card you mentioned does not.
Drue said:
I don’t think travel cards are worth it at a low income unless you can reach the sign-up bonuses. How often do you travel?
/uj Rare crossover between two of my Reddit worlds. CSR is the way to go.
/rj you bum. Gamble your life savings on Klay instead.
Drue said:
I don’t think travel cards are worth it at a low income unless you can reach the sign-up bonuses. How often do you travel?
I agree except for the USBAR and Bilt. I make $40,000 a year and I get about 3 to 4 free trips from those cards each year.
It’s a decent card. The effective annual fee is -$5 after the travel credits, so the card practically pays for itself.
Honestly, if you’re making $13,000, then it’s not worth it to try and meet the spending requirement. Isn’t it around $4,000 in three months? That’s nearly 25% of your income after taxes?
I don’t think it matches your spending or needs right now. A more budget-friendly card like the Wells Fargo Autograph or Venture One has no annual fees.
Merritt said:
I don’t think it matches your spending or needs right now. A more budget-friendly card like the Wells Fargo Autograph or Venture One has no annual fees.
That’s understandable, which is why I’m considering this.
Will you be able to qualify for the sign-up bonus? You need to spend $4,000 in the first three months.
Bryce said:
Will you be able to qualify for the sign-up bonus? You need to spend $4,000 in the first three months.
That wouldn’t work for me. I’m looking at a Baxter CU travel rewards card, and their sign-up bonus requires just $1,500 in spending in three months to get 35,000 bonus points.
@madisonwilson
In that case, you should definitely wait and find another card that benefits you more.
Bryce said:
@madisonwilson
In that case, you should definitely wait and find another card that benefits you more.
Yeah, I’m just posting to get people’s thoughts on the card. With BCU, you earn 2 points for every dollar spent. Do you think that’s a good card? I know many people prefer the top-tier cards, but everyone has to start somewhere. This is the card.
@madisonwilson
I’ve seen many people recommend the Wells Fargo Autograph as a good no annual fee travel card. You should definitely check that out!
Bryce said:
@madisonwilson
I’ve seen many people recommend the Wells Fargo Autograph as a good no annual fee travel card. You should definitely check that out!
What’s the points system like for it?
@madisonwilson
You earn 3x on travel, restaurants, gas, transit, streaming, and phone plans. You can also upgrade to the Autograph Journey later which gives you 5x on hotel bookings, 4x on airline bookings, and 3x on restaurants, but it has a $95 annual fee.
I can’t get approved, so take the offer 
You can downgrade to the Venture, which offers similar points and benefits but misses out on the higher benefits like 10x on hotels and 5x on flights.
Since you’re not traveling anytime soon, you can still accumulate points and keep the same rewards. It only has a $95 fee.
Then, once everything gets back to normal, you’ll have points saved up for free flights.
It’s pretty much a free card, so there’s not much to complain about.
The $400 annual fee is offset by $300 in travel portal credits, plus you earn 10,000 points every year, along with TSA/Global entry benefits. You also get lounge access and Visa Infinite perks.
If you get the no-fee Savor One, you can earn 3% on dining, groceries, streaming, and entertainment, with the option to toggle it between earning points or cash back.
With a $13,000 income, there’s really no need for a travel card at all. Travel cards are usually for those who spend a lot. It seems like your situation doesn’t allow for much travel right now.
WF Autograph is a strong cashback and travel card hybrid with no fee.